Coulson's Little Girl
by NoleeMarieLacroix
Summary: A series of Coulson/OC ficlets, non-romantic. Meet Rebecca Coulson, Agent Phils adopted daughter. Since the death of her mother from cancer, Phil was the only one who was there for her. Sometimes family is all you really need.
1. Secret Mission

Title: Coulson's Little Girl

Plot: A series of Coulson/OC one shots, non-romantic. Meet Rebecca Coulson, Agent Phil's adopted daughter. Since the death of her mother from cancer, Phil was the only one who was there for her. Sometimes family is all you need.

Disclaimer: I own Rebecca, others are not mine.

Rating: K+, maybe T for talks of death and feels

Secret Mission

This was the most dangerous mission she had ever been on. If she was caught, it would spell big trouble for her. She crouched down, hiding by the door so she wouldn't be seen. The darkness hid her well and she had always been quiet. She ran and jumped, landing onto her target area perfectly.

"Mowning daddy!" five year old Rebecca Coulson giggled as she landed on the bed belonging to her father, Agent Phil Coulson. Since her mother, the agent's cello playing girlfriend and Rebecca's mother, had died due to colon cancer; Rebecca had been living with the agent who adopted her. He was her best friend, someone who was always there for her.

Phil yawned, groggily sitting up. Last night had been a rough one, having barely made his flight in from New Mexico. He had found a large source of energy on the SHIELD scanner and Fury had sent him out to secure it; the item being a large hammer that had created a crater in the desert. Home had brought much more sleep than the sight and now worry if Maria Hill was taking proper care of Rebecca. Not that he had any doubts about that, Maria doted on him. He just wasn't ready to move on from Rebecca's mother yet; that's why he wouldn't date her. "Mornin' cupcake! What time is it?"

"8 o' cwock!" Rebecca smiled as she snuggled up to her father. The young girl was the spitting image of her mother and in a lot of ways reminded Phil of her mother. For instance, both were happy in the morning no matter what time they woke. Then there was their looks: brown hair that both women enjoyed pulling back in a ponytail and two blue eyes set in a childish face that shimmered with both confidence and curiosity.

"8 o'clock huh? Why aren't you asleep?" Phil chuckled at his daughter, "It's still summer time. School doesn't start yet."

"I wanna go zoo," Rebecca replied, looking at her father with a childlike sense of wonder. "Auntie Hiww say zoo got nice animaws. We go zoo wif Auntie Hiww?"

_God Bless Maria Hill_, Coulson thought to himself as he rubbed at his eyes. The girl was always making sure that Rebecca was well cared for and kept her curious sense of wonder. "Well the zoo's not open yet."

"Is too! Miss Hiww towd me the zoo open at 8 o'cwock! I even had hew set my awawm!" Rebecca protested as she crossed her little arms.

Sometimes having such a curious daughter made him lose sleep. "How about," Phil replied tiredly, "we get breakfast here first. I'll make breakfast, chocolate chip pancakes even." Before he had adopted her, Phil had been as talented with technology as Nick Fury was at ballet: not at all. Being a dad taught you things and cooking was one of those important things.

"You make pancakes?! Yay!" Rebecca beamed, "Den we take subway and go zoo? You and I sweep on subway, no be tiwed fow zoo."

That was something, among the list of things that grew every day, Phil loved Rebecca for. She was five and thought of more needs than just her own. "Alright," Phil smiled as he stood up and put on his house shoes, "let's get to the kitchen."


	2. Subway Conversation

**Subway Conversations**

**Plot: Coulson and Rebecca ride home from the zoo and the conversation surprises the agent.**

The zoo had been a find adventure. Rebecca loved the animals, especially the birds. Phil had to chuckle at that, especially when she had stopped to ask about the bald eagle. Phil told her of the symbolism, that it was a bird who stood for the justice that the agents favorite hero had once brought to the world. Yes, the zoo had been a fun time.

Now here they sat on the subway in an empty car. Rebecca, dressed in a pink shirt and blue overalls with her white tennis shoes, sat in a seat next to her father with her arms around the stuffed eagle he had bought for her. "Daddy, he need name!"

Phil looked at his daughter with a smile, then looked at the stuffed eagle in her hands, "How about Steve?"

Rebecca cocked her head, looking at her father, "Daddy, dat dumb name."

Phil couldn't help but laugh. Steve was a bit old fashioned a name, but for good reason. "Lemme show you something pretty cool," Phil smiled as he put a hand inside of his suit jacket. He produced four trading cards with various pictures of once hero Captain America on them. "This is my hero. They called him Captain America but his real name was Steve Rogers."

"Why he dwessed funny?" Rebecca asked, taking a look at the card before looking up at her father.

"He's not dressed funny. That's the costume he wore for military shows," Phil responded as he showed her the card in question. He moved on to the next, "This is his military uniform."

Rebecca hugged her eagle and looked up at him with a smile, "He youw favowite hewo daddy?"

Phil nodded in response as he put the cards back in his pocket, "Yes he's my hero, my favorite hero to be exact."

"How about we name him Cap'n?" Rebecca asked, holding out the bird to her father. She looked at him with kind and innocent eyes that showed her youth, "It bettew name den Steve but he stiww wike youw hewo."

Phil nodded and smiled down at her, "Have I ever told you how much I love you pumpkin?"

"Evewyday," giggled Rebecca as the subway came to a halt. She looked at her father, bit her lip, and then looked down at the stuffed bird she carried with her. "I ask you question daddy?"

"You can ask me anything Becca," Phil earnestly replied, glancing at his daughter. She usually wasn't so quiet and to see her like this didn't put him at ease.

"We not go home yet? We go home you gonna weave. You aways weave," Rebecca pouted as she hugged the bird close to her.

Phil didn't know how to respond. Usually his daughter didn't show her sadness at being left with Agent Hill when he went off for missions for Fury. As she showed her emotions, it sank in that she was growing up and he'd either have to take her with him or leave her at S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. "Becca, I do a very dangerous job," he began slowly, trying to find the right words, "I don't know what I'd do if you accidentally got hurt."

"You get huwt?" she asked with her voice near tears, "No wike if daddy got huwt!"

"I don't get hurt pumpkin," he lied to her. He knew lying was the only way to stop his daughter from crying. He was in a bind. On one hand she could come with him and potentially get hurt or stay at home and she would continue to grow up with him running all over the world. "Tell ya what, I have a few missions I can take you with me on. Do you want to go?"

Rebecca's face lit up, "Uh-huh! Dat'd be supew fun!"

Phil smiled and hugged her, "Alright then Becca. Whattya say we get something to eat and then go home?"

"I got anover question," Rebecca started, "you a supew hewo?"

"No, no I'm no super hero," Phil chuckled as he looked at his daughter, "I'm just an average joe who works for the government."

"Oh…" she pouted but then looked up at her father, "cuz you my favowite supew hewo."

To Phil, there was no statement in the world that meant more.

**A/N: Please, feel free to read and review!**


	3. Candy Store Delight

Candy Store Delight

Plot: Coulson and Rebecca visit a candy store and one gets more excited than the other.

There were few restertaunts in New York City Agent Phil Coulson loved more than Dave's Candy. It was like walking into a real life version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, fantastical and whimsical all at the same time. By the look on Rebecca's face as she looked around, she thought just as highly of the place as he did. "Wh…what is dis pwace?" asked Rebecca, looking up at her father with wide eyes.

"This is Dave's Candy," Phil chuckled as he knelt down to look at her eye level, "you can get almost any kind of pizza or sandwhich you can think of. They also have lots and lots of candy."

"Any kinda 'za?" giggled Becca as she looked around the place, "Well what kinda 'za you want?"

"Hmmm…what kind of pizza do you want? I want a peanut butter, strawberry jelly, and marshmallow fluff sandwhich," Phil smiled as he stood back up, "You can have any kinda pizza on the menu."

"Wead me dat sign," Rebecca asked as she pointed at the menu above the café counter, "I no wead good."

Phil smiled, "My favorite's the dirt pizza."

"Eeewww!" Rebecca wrinkled her nose in disgust, "Why you wike diwt pizza? You no s'poseta eat diwt!"

"It's not real dirt," Phil laughed, "It's chocolate icing, cookie crumbles, guy worms, and pizza crust."

"You wet me have snack for dinnew?" Rebecca asked as she looked at the sign and then around the establishment, "You most awesomest dad evew!"

Phil ruffled her hair and walked up to the counter with her hand in his, "Whattya want to drink?"

"Hmmm…appwe juice!" Becca beamed after a bit of thought. She swung his hand, looking at the dining room where families and couples sat enjoying the last bit of their day before going home.

"Apple juice it is," nodded Phil. He stepped up to the counter, buying the food that he and his girl wanted before the duo were escorted to a table near the back. While she was excited for a new sort of pizza, Phil's eyes rested on the candy bar. Complimentary with each meal, the candy bar boasted a multitude of the best handmade candies that the place was known for. "You want something from the candy bar Becca?"

"I no go baw daddy, you get wasted at baw," replied Becca as the waitress brought their drinks.

Phil almost spit up a sip of the root beer float he had taken, blinking in surprise at the comment his daughter had made, "Where did you hear something like that Rebecca Emery Coulson?"

"Mistew Tony Stawk said it on the tew-we-me-vision," Rebecca stammered, sounding out the big word on the end. "He gets asked where he was dwunk da pwess confewence he was s'pose ta be at. He said he was at da baw getting' wasted. I no want baw, I no get wasted."

Phil couldn't help but laugh. Tony's mouth was most certainly the place where she would have heard such talk. "Not all bars are the same. Some bars are bad, like the one Mister Tony Stark told the reporters about. Others, like this candy bar, are okay for you."

"So I has candy fwom candy baw?" Rebecca asked hopefully.

"Yes, having candy from the candy bar is okay," Phil confirmed with a nod of his head, "Anything you don't eat here, we can take home with us."

Rebecca shot up with a grin, "Den we get candy! We get woads and woads of candy!"

Phil took her hand and led her over to the candy bar, though the look in the eyes of the older man was just as wonderous as the look in hers. He practically drooled at the sight of suc h magnificent candies: peppermint bark, chocolate covered sandwich cookies, and s'more candy bars amongst the goods. "You know what you want?"

"Evewyting," Rebecca grinned as she stood on her tip toes to look at the candies, "I want evewyting hewe…"

"Why don't we get one plate now," Phil suggested as he though, trying to formulate a method of attack like he would during a mission, "and then come back after we finish our main course." It sounded like a reasonable plan to him. He'd get some of the different types of candy, eat his sandwich, then come back for more candy.

Rebecca giggled, "You want mowe candy den I want!"

"What can I say," Phil chuckled as he took her hand to lead her to the table after filling up their plates, "chocolate is my thing."

The two laughed together, stuffing their respective faces with chocolate. It was truly a good end to their day out as father and daughter.


	4. The First Day

The First Day

Plot: Rebecca attends her first day of kindergarten and Phil makes sure it goes well.

"Do you have your backpack ready to go Becca?" came the voice of her father from the kitchen as Rebecca prepared for her very first day of school. Summer had gone by quickly, full of fun and memories both would remember forever. Today was one of those memories.

Dressed in her newest blue dress, black button shoes, and black coat; Rebecca looked ready for the day ahead of her. "Yes daddy! I gots my Dowa notebook, my Bubbwe Guppies bookbag. I weady to go!"

"Are you sure? You have a pencil to write with today?" Coulson asked as he walked in from the kitchen. In one hand he held a bag of donuts for breakfast and in the other he held a brown paper sack with Rebecca's name across it for her lunch. It wasn't that he was trying to make sure she had everything, he was more worried about if he could take empty days alone when he was off of work.

"Yes daddy, I suwe," she beamed as she swished the bottom of her dress against her hands, "You wowwied bout me?"

"No I'm not worried about you," scoffed Phil, though it was far from the truth. "I know you'll do just fine. I even packed your favorite lunch."

"Peanut buttew and anbanana sammich?" Rebecca asked hopefully, her eyes bright.

"Yes a peanut butter and banana sandwich," Phil replied with a smile," Plus I have chocolate donuts for breakfast." He sat the bag down on the living room table and sat in his favorite chair, "Are you excited for today?"

Rebecca took one of the donuts out, biting into it. With a mouthful she replied, "Weww, I kinda scawed. Dese peopwe be nice to me?"

"Of course they will. You'll make new friends and you won't need me anymore," Phil joked though he was half serious. The older Rebecca got, the more she would realize that she didn't need him. He almost dreaded what her teenage life would be like.

"Daddy I aways need you!" Rebecca replied, tossing her arms around his leg. "You my daddy!"

Phil chuckled and ruffled her hair, "Do you want me to drive you to school or do you want to ride the bus?"

Rebecca looked down at the bag of donuts before looking up at Phil with a timid look on her face, "I…I guess you couwd dwive me if'n you wanted…" Deep down she was a little nervous about her first day of school. She had never spent a full day away from her apartment or Maria Hill who looked after her when her dad couldn't. It was a bit overwhelming.

"Of course I can drive you," Phil almost leapt for joy when she asked. He put a hand inside of his suit jacked to withdraw his keys. With the other he took her hand once she had picked up her bookbag and led her to the black Sedan in front of their apartment complex. He opened the back driver's side door for her, helping her to get into her car seat. "Safety first princess!"

"Safety aways fiwst," Rebecca nodded in agreement as she allowed her father to buckle her in. She unzipped her bookbag, producing Cap'n from it. She hugged the eagle close to her and stared out the window. "Cap'n go wif me schoow?"

"If you want Cap'n can go to school with you. Just take very good care of him," chuckled Phil as he got situated in the driver's seat. He adjusted the rearview mirror to be able to see behind him before pulling out onto the street. "Now, I'll be back at school to get you at one when you get out. If you wanna go home before then, tell your teacher. She will call me."

"You not be to busy and fowget me?" asked Rebecca, honestly thinking that Phil would run off one day while she was at school.

"I'll never be to busy for you pumpkin," Phil replied with a kind smile and a glance into the rearview mirror. "Even if I'm at work, I'll drop everything for you."

"Evewyting?" Rebecca asked, eyes wide, "I dat impowtant?"

"The most important thing in my life," Phil confirmed as he pulled into the school parking lot. He turned around in his seat, looking at Rebecca, "Do…do you want me to walk you to the door?"

"Pwease?" Rebecca pouted as she looked at her father.

Phil didn't need to be asked twice. He parked the car and got out before he helped Rebecca out of the car. Taking her hand, Phil made sure that Rebecca had her backpack on and Cap'n in her hand. He hadn't imagined that the first day of school would be so difficult for him to let her go but as he led her to the classroom, his eyes brimmed with tears. "You…you'll have a good day?"

"I twy," she nodded with a reproachful look, "you no cwy otay daddy?"

Phil smiled and knelt down to hug Rebecca, "You'll do just fine today pumpkin. You'll make lots of friends."

Rebecca nodded and scuffed her feet against the tile, "I be otay daddy. I go now?"

Phil nodded, kissing her forehead before he stood. "You go have fun." He watched her enter the classroom before turning his back and leaving for work.

X X X

"Agent what are you doing with that computer?" Commander Nick Fury demanded as he stood on the bridge of the S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier. He could see down where the agetns were doing work with the computers: be it tracking down super humans or keeping an eye on those they already knew of.

Coulson looked up at Nick Fury, a sheepish look on his face. The computer screen in front of him showed snack time at the kindergarten class where his daughter was a student. "Well Commander Fury…it was her first day and I just wanted to keep an eye on her…"

"By her you mean your daughter Rebecca, don't you Agent Coulson?" Fury questioned the man.

"Yes sir," Phil sighed. He knew he shouldn't have done it, put a mini-spy camera on Rebecca's backpack that is, but he was just so worried.

"I see. Finish up this day but don't let it happen again," Fury instructed, turning away from the sight before him.

Maybe Phil would make it through this day after all.


	5. First Grown Up Day

First Grown Up Day

If he had a choice, she wouldn't be tagging along with him. Hell, if he had his way Phil Coulson wouldn't be using a Saturday where he could be at the park with Becca to go on a mission for Commander Fury instead. But Maria was sick and Rebecca had nowhere else to go. So here they were: an agent and his daughter in Manhattan on their way to Stark Enterprises to see the man himself.

Rebecca could sense how tense her father was, it had been part of the reason she decided to dress up as best as she could. Her dress was knee length and the same gray color as her father's suit but with red rose accents. She saw the big building as her father pulled up outside, recognizing it from television. "Daddy! Daddy dis is Mistew Tony Stawk's house! You fwiends wif Mistew Tony Stawk?"

"I know him," Phil nodded as he parked the car. Getting out, he fixed the sleeves of his suit jacket before letting Rebecca out of the car. "Now, when we get inside, I want you to be extremely respectful to Mister Stark. Can you do that for me Becca?"

She nodded, "I be weawwy, weawwy wespectfuw!" She gave him a tiny salute but her eyes were glued on the building in front of her. It was the tallest she had ever seen before, even taller than the Empire State Building. "He wive hewe?"

"Only when he's on business in New York," Phil said as he took her hand and walked her into the building. To what appeared to be no on he spoke, "Jarvis could you tell Mr. Stark that Agent and Junior Agent Coulson are here to see him?"

"Right away sir," an accented voice spoke out across the room. This caused Rebecca to jump and look around for whoever could have talked to her father. When she saw no one, she looked at her father with wide eyes.

"Daddy…did da house just tawk?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I'm no house," the voice spoke out again, "I am J.A.R.V.I.S. That stands for Just a Rather Very Intelligent System."

"Jawvis," Rebecca nodded to remember. "I'm sowwy I insuwted you Jawvis. I no do it evew evew again!"

"Very well Junior Agent Coulson, Agent Coulson. Mr. Stark will see you right away," the voice said again as the nearby door to the elevators opened with a ding.

Rebecca giggled and walked with her father into the elevator. She reached up to tug at the bottom of his coat before speaking, "You know bout dis coow pwace aww dis time and you no say nuffin? Why not?"

How was he supposed to tell Rebecca the truth? Most agents of and people who worked with S.H.I.E.L.D didn't know about her. It wasn't that he didn't trust them but he knew the more people that knew about her, the more in danger her life would become. It was a part of the job he found hard to live with: the fact that his daughter's life was in peril with even his job being known. "Well…I didn't think it was that cool…" he lied. If J.A.R.V.I.S was still listening, he knew better than to out Phil's lie.

After a few minutes, the elevator came to a stop and with a ding the doors opened on the most beautiful view of the city Rebecca had ever seen. She tried to keep her gaze from going out the window and instead on the room around her. It appeared to be a living area: complete with a large television, chairs and a couch to sit on, and a bar against the back half of the room. "Woah…" she let out in amazement.

"When you said junior agent, J.A.R.V.I.S, I expected someone a bit older. You started her way to young, Agent," came a voice that Rebecca recognized all too well from television. She turned her attention to the bar in the room, seeing the one and only Tony Stark sitting at a table, tumbler of scotch in his hand. Instead of a suit, he wore a white muscle shirt and black workout pants. She didn't mean to stare but Rebecca could see the area in his chest where he had built the machinery to help him live. "Does Fury have no shame in using kids to do his dirty work?"

"She's not so much a junior agent, Mr. Stark, as she is my daughter. The person who usually babysits her was sick so she got to come with me," Phil replied, not allowing Tony to phase him. Stark loved to rile people up to see the reaction he could get, "Is there somewhere she can go so that we can talk S.H.I.E.L.D business?"

"Daddy…I mean…Agent Couwson, I an agent too," Rebecca pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "I stay in woom fow officiaw S.H.I.E.W.D business."

Tony chuckled, "She got her mother's looks and your personality, Agent. The two of you must be so proud of her. I thought you batted for the other team for sure."

There was a silent moment in the room and little Rebecca was the one to break it, "I don't got no mommy Mistew Stawk. As fow battin' fow da ovew team, my daddy don't pway basebaww. He a Mets fan dough."

Tony wasn't sure if he should laugh or not. Of course the comment about her dad not playing sports made him chuckle but on the other hand he knew what it was like not to have a mom who was around. After all, his mom had died in a car accident when he was young so he knew what growing up with an always busy dad was like. "Well, Becky, it was awful nice for Agent to bring you to work with him. You wanna go meet a nice lady and watch movies with her?"

"I an agent, Mistew Stawk. I s'posta stay wif my fewwow agents," Rebecca protested against Tony trying to get her to leave the room. "An agent nevew weaves a fewwow agent."

Phil turned to Rebecca, grin not across his face but most definitely twinkling in his eyes, "Agent, she needs protection. Above making sure that other agents are protected, we make sure civilians are safe. Your mission, agent, is to keep an eye on Miss Pepper Potts."

Rebecca bounced up and saluted her father, "Yes siw! Whewe I to pwotect Miss Potts, Mistew Stawk?"

"Down the hall to the left, first door on the left," Tony replied with an amused chuckle. He knew that wasn't the movie room. No, no he had something much cooler that she would prefer to see. Besides, the vent to the living room tied in with the one in that room so you could hear them talk. Evesdropping was a good skill to have.

Rebecca left the room, counting doors and holding up her hands to see which was a left or a right. She pushed open the door, eyes going wide as soon as she realized where she was. It was a high tech lab where, along the back wall, the suit of Iron Man stood. She blinked, looking up at it with wide eyes. "Mistew Tony Stawk is Iwon Man?" Knowing this was a secret to keep, she turned to look around so she wasn't tempted to push buttons.

From the vent in the corner she could hear voices that sounded like her father and Mr. Stark. She knew it would be wrong of her to go over and listen, but she was curious. She sat by the vent, listening to the grown up conversation. "It's called the tesseract," her father's voice sounded, "we found out about it months ago. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could be deadly."

"What are you telling me for?" asked Tony, his voice full or both amusement and annoyance, "I've told you I can't work for S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm not a military man like my father."

"You're the only one I know who can work with advanced technologies," her father replied, his voice almost begging.

There was a silence and what seemed like the moment of a chair and footsteps. Suddenly the voices were muffled and she couldn't hear Tony's response. The tesseract, she didn't know what it was but it sounded dangerous.

She didn't like that.


	6. Poise, Grace, and Serenity

Poise, Grace, and Serenity

Plot: A fellow agent teaches Rebecca about the finer things of ballet.

The fact that she wanted to get into ballet was something that Phil Coulson already dreaded. With the finding of the tesseract, work had become hectic. Add dropping off and picking up Rebecca from practices on top of recitals, it would be something even worse. Yet he couldn't tell her no. It was something she wanted to do, thus, he was in a bind.

There was; however, one thing he could do. One of the agents had served with the Russian ballet when she was a teenager. Phone calls had been made and now Rebecca would get the ballet training that she so wanted. In fact that was where they were headed: home after school to wait for her instructor. Like always on the car rid home, Rebecca had her head leaning against the back of the seat and had fallen asleep. Phil hadn't told her what the day held for her, preferring to surprise his daughter with the lessons.

Seeing the familiar red convertible sitting outside of his apartment building, Phil couldn't help but smile. She was always one to be on time. Parking the car, he turned to see Rebecca looking as bright eyed as if she had never been asleep. Her inquisitive nature at work, she questioned, "Whose car is that?"

"A friend of mine is here to visit. Trust me, you'll like her," nodded Phil as he got out of the car. He would have helped his daughter out of the car but these days she had taken to doing everything for herself. "Do you want me to carry your-"

"No I carry my bag daddy," Rebecca replied as she held the straps on her bookbag. She rubbed her eyes and tried to reach for the handle to the apartment doors, "To high daddy. Help?"

Phil opened the door for her, picking up the mail in the lobby. The fact he didn't see her anywhere meant that she had lock picked his door and been able to not get caught. _Once a spy, always a spy_, he thought as he went upstairs. Opening the door to his apartment, he saw the agent who was there to train his daughter and, by the look on her face, so had Rebecca.

"Daddy who that?" Rebecca asked timidly, clinging to her father's leg.

"Becca, this is Natasha Romanov. Natasha was once a ballerina for the Russian ballet and now she's going to teach you ballet," Phil chuckled as he put a hand on Rebecca's back and gently nudged her forward, "Say hi Becca."

Rebecca stepped forward a few steps, swinging her hands at her sides, "Hi Miss Romanoff…"

Natasha stood, taking a few steps closer before kneeling on one knee, "It's nice to meet you, Becca. Your daddy tells me you want to learn to do ballet. It's a lot of fun."

Rebecca smiled, a bit less shy. "Uh-huh! A friend of mine does ballet and she says its really fun. Daddy says he doesn't have enough time to dwive me to practice. So…why are you here and how do you know daddy?"

"I work with him, I'm an agent too. He told me you wanted to learn ballet and I knew I could teach you," Natasha replied with a smile. "How about you finish up any homework you have and then we start the first lesson?"

"I no got homework," she beamed proudly, "Do I get a tutu? Am I gonna learn how to do jumps? Cuz I can jump real high!"

Natasha chuckled, "No, no we won't start with jumps. Before we start with jumps, we have to work on the positions on which you stand to balance and land after a jump." She turned her head to look at Phil, "Could you help me to push back the table and the couch so we have room to practice in, Coulson?"

Phil smiled at her, nodding, "Of course I can Miss Romanov." He picked up one end of the table while Natasha picked up the other, then followed the same with the couch. "Do you girls want me to stay or do you want me to get out of here?"

"Daddy stay!" Rebecca grinned at him, "Daddy stay and learn ballet wif me and Miss Romanoff." She hugged his leg, smiling up at her father. How could he say no to that face?

"Yeah Coulson, stay here and learn ballet with us," Natasha replied with a snicker, "it's a great way to stay in shape."

Had his daughter not of been in the room, Phil would have made an obscene gesture. Instead, he went to stand by Natasha with a smile plastered across his face. Rebecca, from then on, wasn't the only one in the Coulson household who learned and loved ballet.

**A/N: Sorry this chapter wasn't as long as the previous. Last chapter sort of set the background for Coulson's work events which aren't the focus of this story.**


	7. A Sick Day and Spongebob Squarepants

A Sick Day and Spongebob S quarepants

Plot: Having a sick day, the role of the caretaker changes.

He hadn't meant to catch a cold. Somewhere between working for S.H.I.E.L.D and taking care of Rebecca, he had gotten a virus. Luckily it was Saturday and Fury hadn't called in to tell him that he needed to come in. Lying in bed, he had a box of Kleenex next to him and several already in the trashcan. He groped blindly for the thermometer in the dark, wanting to see how sick he actually was. He stuck it in his mouth until he heard the beep; blinking down when he read it. 99.3. It wasn't too terrible but he was definitely sick.

The patter of little feet in the hall alerted him to the fact that Rebecca was awake. She pushed open the door, walking over to the bed. "Daddy why your lights off?"

"I don't feel good Becca," Phil replied, coughing into his sleeve. The last thing he wanted was for Rebecca to get sick but he still had to look after her. He attempted to stand until Rebecca stood in his way and shook her head, "What's wrong pumpkin?"

"If Daddy no feels good, daddy stay in bed," Rebecca ordered simply, "You stay in bed aaaaall day. I make bweakfast and wunch and dinner. I be big girl today."

Phil couldn't help but smile at this, "You'll be a big girl today? Becca, pumpkin, you don't know how to cook. How are you supposed to feed us?"

"No have to cook cereal and sammiches," Rebecca proudly retorted, "You stay in bed. I make food and stay out of twouble."

Phil couldn't argue with that logic. Cereal was easy to make unless the jug of milk was to full and he kept all of the things to make sandwiches down low so if she was hungry, she could make her own. "Fine, fine. I'll stay in bed on doc's orders."

"Who Doc? I Becca," she asked, thoroughly confused as she put a hand on her hip.

Phil chuckled, shaking his head, "Docs are doctors, you know, where you go when you're sick." He fumbled for a tissue as he let out a terrible sneeze. Rebecca jumped, the sheer force of the sneeze slightly scaring her.

"You real bad daddy!" Rebecca replied as she tsked and shook her head, "I go make cereal and then I take temperature." She hurried off to the kitchen, looking for the cereal. Finding it on the bottom drawer of the cabinet, she put the box on the floor before reaching into the strainer for two bowls and two spoons. The last task was to get the milk from the fridge. She opened the refrigerator door, having to look up to see the jug of milk sitting on the second shelf. She wanted to call Phil into the room but it was her chance to be a big girl. Instead she pulled over a chair, standing on it and pulling out the half empty jug. Climbing back down she poured the cereal, Lucky Charms to be exact, into the bowls and then poured the milk.

Proud of herself, Becca carefully carried the two bowls into the bedroom. There slept Phil curled up on his side. Rebecca put his bowl on the bedside table before using the chest on the end of the bed to get up next to her father. She reached for the remote silently, turning on the television to Spongebob. Her father would wake up on his own and eat.

She was a good doctor.


	8. This Is Halloween

This Is Halloween

Plot: A ficlet in three parts. In part one we see the Coulson duo deciding on a Halloween costume, part 2 sees the duo through a particularly scary yard, and part 3 sees the inevitable division of the candy.

His first mistake was giving Rebecca Mt. Dew. He knew how excited even the tiniest amounts of sugar seemed to make her. It hadn't crossed his mind when they had started the day's trip that her response of 'Mt. Dew' when asked what she wanted to drink was not a reasonable one. Instead he had blindly accepted and was now stuck with an overactive five year old. Perhaps the second mistake was taking her shopping for a Halloween costume all hyped up on Mt. Dew.

It was Johnny Brock's Warehouse, a costume emporium where one could find almost any costume their heart desired. That seemed to be the biggest problem: add one hyper five year old to the largest selection of costumes other than Hollywood and it equaled the most indecisive child in the world. Every five minutes she had a brand new costume in mind. So far she'd wanted to be a princess, a pirate, a ballerina, Draculara from Monster High, and even Cinderella. "Daddy what if I never find a perfect costume?"

"You'll find one pumpkin," Phil replied with a kind smile, "You just changing your mind all the time means you just haven't found the right one."

"What about you daddy? What do you want to be for Halloween?" Rebecca asked as she stood by her father, eyes scanning the rack for a costume. She was ready to just give up at this point.

There was a slight hesitation before Phil responded, "I thought I'd go as Cap'n America." As nerdy as it sounded, Cap'n had been his favorite Halloween costume since he was her age. He had his costume ready to go.

A light went off in Rebecca's eyes and she bounced on the balls of her feet, "Oooh! Did….did Cap'n America have a sidekick? I could be your sidekick!"

Phil smiled, proud that one of the costume choices running through her little head was something Cap'n related. "Well, he had Bucky who was his best friend but Bucky's costume wasn't to cool. How about you be Miss America?"

"Miss America? Who she?" Rebecca asked as Phil reached up to get the female suited Captain America costume off of the shelf. He knew Captain America had never had a side kick named Miss America but he vaguely recalled a woman named Miss America fighting for the rights of the troops during World War II.

"Her name was Madalyn Joyce but she went by Miss America. Cap'n's sidekick Bucky found government files on heroes who could help stop a team of heroes who had been brainwashed by the Red Skull. They fought Nazi espionage in the United States. She did here was Cap'n did overseas," Phil told the story of the heroine.

"What were her super powers?" asked Becca as she swung her arms.

"Well," Phil started, trying to remember, "she could fly, she had super human strength, she was super durable and had loads of stamina, she had x-ray vision too. All around she was a talented hero who did everything she could to make the world a better place. Wanna know the best part?"

Rebecca counted the powers on her fingers before looking at her father, "There's more to be excited about?"

"She trained with Cap'n America in hand to hand combat," Phil replied as he raised his fists for a mock fight. Rebecca giggled and bopped him on the knee with a fist. Phil mocked being hurt before asking, "So ya think you can do it pumpkin?"

"I sure can daddy! I'll be Miss America. You think maybe one day I could be a real super hero?"

"Pumpkin, you'd make a great super hero. You'll be great at whatever you do when you grow up," Phil smiled as he ruffled her hair.

X Part X Two X

Super heroes were never scared. They faced down the forces of evil every day. But right now, as she faced down the scariest house on the block, Rebecca felt nothing like the brave super hero she was dressed like. None of the other houses in the neighborhood scared her. She braved witches and ghosts and vampires. But this one was different. This one had a werewolf.

She wasn't sure why the werewolf scared her so much. Maybe it was the way he stood on the top step as if he were protecting the candy or maybe it was the way his teeth glistened maliciously. Either way she stood rooted to the spot on the street, "I no go. I have too much candy…" she hesitated, looking up at her father.

Phil looked down at her and chuckled. Her super hero costume fit her personality for most of the night. Her blue mask and long sleeved top with a star on it had signified justice like when she had made sure other children had gotten candy before her. The red and white skirt and books had stood for purity- the white- and valor- the red. Until now. She nervously shuffled her feet on the ground as older kids passed her, "Too much candy? But that house has full sized!"

"Full size bars?" Rebecca asked, smacking her lips. She bit the inside of her lip before looking at the werewolf. "But…but it scawy…"

"You wanna know a secret?" Phil asked, kneeling so that he was eye level with his daughter.

"A secret?" Rebecca whispered as she looked around, "I guess you can tell me a secret…"

"That's not a real werewolf. Know how I know? Look at the moon, it isn't full. A real werewolf, if there was such a thing, only changes on the full moon," Phil patted her shoulder.

"So it can't turn me into a werewolf?" asked Rebecca hopefully.

"No, no it can't turn you into a werewolf," smiled Phil, "Now would you like to go grab some candy from that house?"

Rebecca saluted and ran up the stairs to the house, paying the werewolf no attention.

X Part X Three X

Trick or treating had yielded excellent results for Rebecca Coulson. Her pillowcase of candies sat on the floor next to her in the living room, a few strewn across the floor in two separate piles. Of course, the pile of her candy was bigger than the pile she had designated as her fathers. Reaching into her bag she pulled out a handful of fun sized candies. The Butterfinger? Hers. The Snickers? Hers. The Smarties? Phil got those.

Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand she yawned and laid down on the floor. It was late but she wanted to make sure that it was all divided. Reaching back into the bag she tried looking for something different and exciting. Pulling out a bag of Sweet Tarts, she blanched and tossed it in Phil's pile. She yawned a final time, standing and kissing the sleeping Phil Coulson who sat in his chair on the cheek before walking up to her room for bed time.


	9. Six Candles

Six Candles  
Plot: A birthday celebration for the sixth birthday of Rebecca Coulson.

A/N: This is one of the few ficlets that take place during the time Becca is six. I'll have a few more and there will be no chapter for her seventh birthday but it will be mentioned.

Throwing a surprise party for a six year old was as difficult for Phil Coulson as trying to calm down Bruce Banner. The balloons were red and gold, Rebecca's favorite colors and hanging from the ceiling while red streamers decorated the doorways. Presents from himself, Tony Stark, Maria, and even Nick Fury stood in the corner with other presents from kids who had showed up with their parents.

Trying to get Rebecca out of the house was just as difficult as planning the party. She wanted to stay home with him until Maria had decided to take Rebecca shopping for a new outfit. That had enticed the young girl to leaving the house for a while. Carrying a tray of fresh cookies to the living room, he laid it on the table. "Folks, the birthday girl should be here any moment."

"Mr. Coulson, you've done a great job," smiled the mother of one of the other children, Mrs. Amelia Legrain.

"Thank you Mrs. Legrain, it was no easy task," he smiled as his cell phone went off. He checked it, smiling. "Alright everyone, she's here!"

The party guests hid in the living room, the door opening as Rebecca entered. "Why it so dark?" Rebeccas asked as she entered, reaching up to flip on the light.

"SURPRISE!" the guests shouted, causing Rebecca to hid behind Maria's leg. Tears stained her cheeks but as soon as she realized it was a room of her friends and family, she was happy.

"It's my birthday party!" Rebecca giggled, "I is so surprised!"

"I knew we surprise her," smiled a little boy Rebecca's age. He went over to the girl and hugged her tightly, "You wike my present!"

"Emilio you made it!" Rebecca giggled as she hugged her best male friend. The two stopped and Rebecca looked at her father, "You a twicky, twicky man!"

Phil hugged his daughter before ushering her over to the table where the presents were sitting. "Well I had to make sure you were surprised! Now, do you want to open presents or do you want your cake?"

"Cake!" Rebecca proudly said as Emilio Martinez, her best male friend, and Annie Legrain, her best female friend, sat next to her. Though the best friends shared the same age and grade, they were extremely different. Emilio was a typical boy: he loved sports and trucks and playing in the mud. Rebecca was closer to being a tom boy than a girly girl: she didn't mind sports or mud but she still enjoyed playing dolls and dress up. Annie was the essential girly girl: she detested sports and mud and would rather play dolls or tea party. "You guys stay the night?"

"Mi corozone has a wedding to be at in the morning," Mrs. Martinez replied with a smiled, "We can't stay very long."

"And my mommy and I are going to a brunch with my mimaw," Annie replied with a smile.

"Okaaay," Rebecca sighed dramatically. She kicked her feet back and forth in the chair, "We have cake now and den I open presents."

Phil entered the dining area with the chocolate cake iced with chocolate strawberry buttercream icing. He sat it down in front of the three children and other guests. "Alright, let me light these and then we'll sing happy birthday."

Rebecca knelt on her chair, resting her head on the heels of her palms, "Is dat chocolate? I weally like chocolate?"

"It looks nummy to me," Emilio made noises of approval. He, along with Annie and the other guests, sang to her. Cake was divided amongst everyone, Rebecca and her two friends digging in.

Rebecca grinned, chocolate cake coating her mouth, "Yum! It is good!" She drank a bit of Hawaain Punch before looking around the room. "Whewe…whewe Uncle Tony? He not be here for my special day!"

"Uncle Tony had to work," Phil replied around a mouthful of chocolate cake, "but he sent you a present for your special day."

Rebecca nodded and licked some of the chocolate off of her lips. She looked at Emilio and Annie before nodding, "I think I open presents. I open Emilio's and Annie's first."

The presents were brought over and Rebecca found the ones from her best friends. Tearing open the wrapping paper on Annie's present as fast as she could, Rebecca giggled when she saw the Monster High Doll Operetta. "She's my second favorist Annie! Thank you!"

"Now we can play Monster High together," Annie smiled as Rebecca hugged the dolls box close to her.

"Open mine! Open mine!" Emilio begged as he held out the present. Rebecca laid the doll on the table and took Emilio's present. She opened it up, excited when she saw a baseball. "I got it for you when I went to a Yankee's game! I knew you like it!"

Rebecca hugged her two friends, "You guys got the most awesome presents for me! We play with them later!"

The rest of the party went well. Phil had gotten her a Monster High doll house while Maria got her a new pair of sneakers. Tony, in true Tony Stark fashion, had gotten her a new television complete with stereo, DVD played, and X-Box 360.

Phil reminded himself to have a long talk with Tony.


	10. Mother's Day Is Hard On Both Of Us

Mother's Day Is Hard On Both Of Us

Plot: On Mother's Day Phil has to explain what happened to Rebecca's mother.

There were two days a year Phil found life hard to cope with: September 9th and Mother's Day. The reason he dreaded both of these was for the same reason: Viola was no longer with him. He had loved her and almost worshipped the very ground the former love of his life walked on. He supposed it was ironic: a cellist named Viola. All he had cared about was her heart, the kindness and love she treated everyone with.

Rebecca, though she didn't mean to, made these days just as hard. It was the way Rebecca acted and looked that reminded him of Viola. Just like her mother, Rebecca was kind to everyone. Just like her mother she had a button nose, eyes of the lightest blue that always held curiosity and confidence, and most of all the few cute freckles that dotted the bridge of her nose. So far Rebecca hadn't asked about her mother, Becca having only been four when Viola passed. Not until that day at least: Mother's Day of the sixth year of her life.

They were sitting silently in the living room, Phil almost hoping that Tony or Fury would call with news on the tesseract. Rebecca was playing with her dolls in the floor before stopping and turning to look at her father. "Daddy…how come I don't have a mama? Emilio got a mama and Annie got a mama…how come I no got one?"

Phil moved in his chair, biting his bottom lip as he thought. He patted his lap and Rebecca climbed in it, facing him. He pulled his wallet from his pants pocket and opened it to show a picture: Phil and Viola stood on either side of a four year old Rebecca in front of Radio City Music Hall. "That's your mom next to you. You have a mom," Phil replied, hoping she didn't ask any more questions.

"But where is she now?" Rebecca teared up, looking at her father, "She didn't wove me anymore and she ran away, didn't she?"

Phil shook his head, "God no Becca. Your mother loved you very much. She got real sick with cancer and she went to Heaven. She loved you so much and was so proud of you." He remembered the last moments in the hospital with Viola. She had told Phil how much she loved her and her daughter, making sure Rebecca would be taken good care of.

"So…so she no run away cuz she hated me?" she nodded, "Good. I sad she go away. How far is heaven? Can we go see her?"

Phil held back tears the best he could, a few slipping down his cheeks. "No, Heaven isn't a place you can go to. Becca…Heaven is a place you go after you die…"

"So…so mommy died?" Rebecca sniffled, eyes wide and brimming with tears. She threw her arms around her father's neck and cried. They sat that way for a good twenty minutes, Rebecca's arms around Phil's neck, crying onto his shoulder as he cried on hers.

Phil pulled back, rubbing her back, "She's in a better place now Becca. She was very sick and she hurt. She's looking down on both of us very proud. You're a sweet and smart girl."

"You a nice man and I glad momma chose you to be my daddy," Rebecca replied, cuddling close to Phil.

Though he knew that he was the lucky one, he chose not to say anything. He just smiled and hugged her again.


	11. Building Sand Castles

Building Sand Castles

Plot: Summer vacation brings fun in the sun and a new friend.

It was hot and he disliked hot. He was not a man who went to the beach on his own accord but Rebecca loved the warm weather. He did this for her and only for her. He looked ridiculous, wearing a pair of yellow surf shorts with an orange Hawaai'n shirt. He had made sure to almost bathe in sunscreen due to the fact that if he didn't, he'd burn to a crisp. Becca's skin was the same way. Becca, who stood at his side ever faithfully, wore a cure white one piece bathing suit flecked with baby blue polka dots.

Phil laid down the beach blankets on the sand, setting up a red umbrella so he had some shade to rest in. Rebecca, purple pail and green shovel in hand, sat down far enough from the shore line so that she wouldn't get her sand castles destroyed but close enough to the blankets so that she could still be seen. "Build a sand castle with me daddy!" Becca smiled at Phil.

Phil smiled and sat down in the sand with her, smiling though he wished there was somewhere else he could be. "Do you know how to build a good sand castle?"

"I never builded a good sand castle before! You show me?" Becca asked as she shoveled sand into her bucket.

Phil smiled and nodded, "Make sure you pack the wet sand in there nice and tight so you can get it to stay together. Remember, ya can't do a thing with wet sand."

He didn't know how to build a sand castle. He had avoided the beach as a young man due to the fact that he burned so easily. The sand castle knowledge he was using was what he remembered from television shows. Phil had to thank the Travel Channel for that show being on during the summer. "Get it wet, pack tight," she smiled as she used her shovel to pile sand into her bucket. Luckily the bottom of the bucket had ridges like the top of a castle tower so they wouldn't have to carve it.

"Yep, pack it tight. That way the sand castle doesn't crumble and you have a place for Princess Barbie to live," Phil smiled at her as he gestured to the beach bag where she had kept her favorite Disney Princess doll.

"Daddy her name isn't Princess Barbie! Her name is Merida and she is a warrior princess! She fire arrows and save the day!" Rebecca pouted as she stopped shoveling to look up at her father as if he had committed a sin.

"Firing arrows, I knew you're kid liked the right kind of people," came a voice closer to the ocean. Phil really hoped it wasn't who he thought it was. Looking over, Phil saw the archer who kept S.H.I.E.L.D a young man's game: Clint Barton. "Though didn't know you had a kid…"

"Barton," Phil nodded as she stood. He felt like every woman's eyes were on Barton: the six pack of abs and perfect face were definitely luring to the ladies. "What are you doing out here?"

"It's the beach, I'm enjoying a day off," Clint smiled as he grabbed a towel from his nearby things, dabbing his face with it. "What about you super agent?"

"Daddy and I enjoy da beach," Rebecca beamed from her spot on the sand. Her castle was in front of her and she was digging a moat to keep Merida safe from the few crabs on the beach, "Who you?"

Clint kneeled next to her, smiling, "Well little missy, I'm Clint Barton. I work with your daddy. You know how to use a bow like Merida there?"

"No, I no shoot bow," she replied, running her hands through the sand behind her, "I not suppose to do things like that. That for growed ups."

"Kids can do it to. Maybe I could teach you," smiled Clint, "Would…"

"No, she has to wait until she's a bit older," Phil replied almost as if shutting up the conversation, "Besides, we're enjoying the beach, right Becca?"

"Yep it gonna be a fun day," Becca smiled, "Maybe someday you teach!"

"Maybe someday," nodded Clint, ruffling her hair with a perfectly manicured hand. He stood and grinned at Phil, "Cute kid. I'm gonna catch up with Tasha now. Have a good day."

As Clint walked off, Phil silently thanks the beach for grabbing the attention of his daughter. At least it had done something right.

**A/N: Rebecca doesn't know any one is a super hero except for Tony Stark and of course Captain America being Steve Rogers. This will play into the story about grown up Rebecca when I start writing it.**


	12. Bedtime Stories

Bedtime Stories

Plot: Using things learned at work, Phil tells Rebecca a bedtime story.

A/N: The story is purely based on the Avengers Initiative things that Phil had read. That being said, Loki is not mentioned but Thor (who he has met before) is.

"Tell me a story daddy," Rebecca asked as she crawled between her red bedsheet and Monster High comforter. It was late, Rebecca having been waiting for Phil to get home from work. He'd been working more and more lately which meant that Rebecca got to see him less and less. Story time had become an almost sacred time for the Coulson duo.

"A story huh? About what?" asked Phil as he sat next to her on the twin sized bed, "Do you want me to read you Cinderella or Snow White?"

"No! You make your own story! Bout princesses and knights!" smiled Rebecca with a slight yawn as she looked up at him.

"Princesses and knights huh? You got it," Phil smiled as he sat back on the bed. "Well where should I begin?"

"Once upon a time. Every good fairy tale starts with once upon a time," replied Rebecca, snuggling up with her stuffed eagle.

"Once upon a time there was a beautiful land called Eternia," Phil started, thankful he had not yet introduced Rebecca to the joys of He-Man so she didn't realize that was where the name of the land had come from, "King Nicholas of Eternia had the best knights of all the realm. His bests however were the Protectors. The Protectors were six in number and avenged the wrongs done to the commoners."

"Six? They musta been awful good for the king to only have six," smiled Rebecca already enraptured by the story.

"Oh yes, the six were the bravest and brightest men and women in all the land. There was a monster, who through techniques learned could turn between his monster and human form. There was a wizard who excelled in flight and the projection of energy from his hand. The spy was a woman most talented at blending in with evil kingdoms."

"If she was a spy, why did King Nicholas trust her?" asked Rebecca, "Spies are bad people!"

"Not all spies are bad," corrected Phil, "Nicholas had spared this woman from prison at the bequest of the archer, a talented man whose bow work could not be matched. The archer had fallen for the charms of the spy and the two were much in love."

Rebecca smiled, "So she was a good spy?"

"A good spy with a kind heart. The other two members were a god of long ago and a soldier who lived to defend the kingdom," Phil smiled, "the biggest threat to the Protectors was a man named Skull Red. He was fierce and wanted to take Castle Tesseract from King Nicholas."

"Did the Protectors find out?" Rebecca asked, pulling the blankets up to her chin.

"Luckily the soldier knew for he had been told by the spy who had infiltrated the ranks of Skull Red," Phil replied, "He assembled the Protectors together so that they could stand up to the evil forces. They fought the hardest they could but almost became defeated."

"How did they win?" Rebecca gasped, "Was it the wizard or the monster who saved the day?"

"Neither," Phil grinned, "the king had a brave counsler who out smarted Skull Red."

"So that allowed the Protectors to win?" Rebecca grinned, snuggling into her bed with a yawn.

"Yes, his help allowed the Protectors to win," smiled Phil as he kissed her forehead, "Good night princess."

"Sleep tight," sighed Rebecca with a smile.

"Don't let the bed bugs bite," Phil smiled as he shut off the light and closed the door as Rebecca slipped into dreams of the Protectors.


	13. I Wanna Be Like You

I Wanna Be Like You

Plot: After a first grade bring your father to work day, Rebecca thinks she knows what she wants to do with her life.

A/N: This is the final chapter of six year old Rebecca. From here on out it will be seven year old Rebecca. I warn you that life gets feelsy for her after this. Also, if any of my readers are artists I would like scenes from this drawn so that I can add them to my deviant art so that the chapters have pictures. Credit will be given by me by the actual person who drew it and I hope credit will be given by the person who draws it if they put it on their deviant art for being part of this story! Thank you!

First grade job exploration day could be pretty cool if your father or mother did the right job. Rebecca thought the fact that Emilio's mom was a baker was pretty neat and of course, when your father was an actor like Annie's, it was awesome. She knew Phil worked for S.H.I.E.L.D and expected that to be said when he walked up in front of her class. What was said was entirely different.

"Good morning everyone, I'm Philip Coulson. I'm Rebecca's father. Now I may not be a baker or an actor but what I do is just as cool. I work for the local branch of the FBI as a recruiter," her father spoke as he stood in front of the class. The words stunned Rebecca and she almost raised her hand, had it not of been for Emily Westen beating her to the chase. Emily was a mean girl and one of Rebecca's mortal enemies, or so she said.

"Mr. Coulson, Rebecca told us you work for a company called S.H.I.E.L.D," Emily replied rather smugly.

"No, no, I work for the FBI," Phil smiled, though his eyes read a different emotion. He hated having to lie about his job, though he could tell Rebecca. "What I do is make sure that there is plenty of young blood in the company. This means going to high schools and colleges to recruit people to be one of us."

"So you don't go on cool missions all over the world and you don't know Tony Stark?" asked one of Emily's friends, a girl named Jessica.

"Oh I do get to go all over the world and I do know Tony Stark," replied Phil with a nod, "I just don't go on missions." He watched as Rebecca asked the teacher to go to the bathroom in tears, feeling terrible about the lies he had to tell to keep his activity with S.H.I.E.L.D a secret. "Well unless anyone else has questions for me, I should be going."

"Thank you Mr. Coulson," Mrs. Kausler smiled as the classroom clapped.

Phil left and went to right outside the bathroom to wait for Rebecca. When she showed no signs of leaving, Phil entered the bathroom, hand over his eyes so he didn't see anything. "Becca, pumpkin?"

"Go away!" was his reply.

"Becca please come out so we can talk?" Phil pleaded. He heard the lock on one of the stalls click and the door opened to reveal Rebecca. Her eyes were full of tears that had reached her cheeks. "Oh pumpkin…"

"You lied daddy!" Rebecca shouted, "You told me you worked with S.H.I.E.L.D!"

"I do honey but they can't know that," Phil replied as he put a hand on her shoulder to usher her from the bathroom," The things I really do for a job can't be known by anyone but me or you."

"You mean you do work for S.H.I.E.L.D and I ain't a liar?" she sniffled, looking up at him.

"No, you're no liar," Phil comforted as he knelt to her level. "You just can't tell no body about what I do for a living."

"Daddy…I think I know what I wanna do for a living," Rebecca sniffled as she put her hand in his.

"And whats that?" Phil smiled as he stood and he walked with her into the office so that he could check her out of school for the rest of the day. He knew she was only six and her opinions would change as she aged.

"I wanna be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent like you," smiled Rebecca sweetly.


	14. We Watched You While You Were Sleeping

We Watched You While You Were Sleeping

Plot: Phil brings Rebecca to work to show her the first glimpse of the hero that means so much to them.

**A/N: Rebecca is officially seven. There will be eight remaining chapters: one for the six Avengers and two with Phil which will end the story.**

S.H.I.E.L.D protocol looked down on things like this. Or at least he thought it did, he couldn't be quite sure because nothing like this had never happened inside S.H.I.E.L.D. So despite what he thought protocol called for, he had brought Rebecca to work with him to see this. Ushering her through a door in the helicarrier, which was Rebecca's first time going to S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters as well was her first time on a plane or jet, he signaled for her to be quiet.

Rebecca could barely contain her excitement as she looked around the room, a S.H.I.E.L.D access card pinned to her dress which gave her only enough clearance to get into places with her father. She felt like a real agent, someone who got to know the juicy secrets of the company. "Why we here in the room?" It was a barren room. One wall appeared to be a mirror while the others were made of concrete and were left unpainted. In the center of the room was a table with two chairs: a juice box, a tray of cookies, and a bottle of Pepsi sitting on it. "Am I gonna get int…int…are you gonna ask me important questions?"

"Nothing like that," Phil smiled as he lifted her onto his shoulders, "You wanna see the coolest thing ever?"

"Sure!" she exclaimed a bit too loudly. Phil hushed her before flipping on a switch. The glass suddenly became transparent and she could see into the next room. It was a medical room: a lab table in the center with various machineries and items for the health of a person. On the lab table, hooked up to the various machinery to check his health, was a young man with sandy blonde hair. He wore a costume that almost stopped Rebecca's heart. "Daddy is that…" she started, star struck.

"Steve Rogers in the flesh," Phil answered, just as star struck.

"I thought he was missing!" Rebecca said in a hushed tone as she watched the slow moving of the young man's chest. He looked no older laying on that table than he did on the cards that rested in her father's suit jacket.

"He was, S.H.I.E.L.D found him resting on ice," Phil replied, just as hushed. Steve Rogers had been the reason that he himself had become a soldier in his youth and a S.H.I.E.L.D agent as he got older. When Steve had been moved to the S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier for initial observation, he knew this was a rare opportunity. He would be moved in a day to a secure location in New York City so that he wouldn't be worried or scared when he woke.

"So he be alive when he wake up?" Rebecca asked as he father set her down. She pulled over a chair, smiling as she sat down the chair: her juice box in hand and three cookies in her lap. "Captain America be a hero again?"

"If he wants to be," Phil replied as he pulled up a chair to sit next to her, sitting to drink his Pepsi and eat some cookies as well. "He's been asleep for a long time, longer than you on the weekends. He may think the world doesn't need him."

"But the world always needs loyal heroes like him!"

Phil nodded at his daughters protests, "That is true. We just have to give him time Rebecca, let him decide on his own time."

There was a silence between the two before Rebecca said, "Daddy…I heard you tell Mister Fury that you found the tesseract and that you believe in the Avengers Initiative. That mean you and Auntie Hill work more?"

How was he supposed to tell his daughter? He had never meant for her to hear that conversation. "We have to make sure that the tesseract is safe and doesn't fall into the wrong hands and make the world unsafe."

"So you do work more?"

Again there was a silence as Phil tried to decide on something, "Can you stay out of trouble, Jr. Agent Rebecca Coulson?"

"I sure can!" Rebecca nodded earnestly.

"Then raise your right hand," Phil replied. He waited for his daughter before smiling, "Repeat after me: I Rebecca Coulson."

"Do solemnly swear to never tell the secrets of S.H.I.E.L.D least I betray my rank as Jr. Agent," as she repeated after him, he ruffled her hai, "You're stuck with me now, partner."

"Partner? You mean it?" Rebecca excitedly asked.

"For life," Phil promised as he threw his arms around his daughter for a hug. It may not have made her an official agent, or even a Jr. agent, but it made her feel like one. Though he knew the following months, would be bumpy, he knew that she would be the safest by his side and if he ever felt unsafe, he'd send her back to the apartment with Maria.

The Coulson's were agents, til death.


	15. Just A Bit of Practice

Just A Bit of Practice

Plot: A lesson in archery and in life.

S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters had turned into home over the course of the month they had been there. Even though Phil was working more frequently, Becca always had something to do. During the day she went to school and when her father picked her up, she'd find something to do to keep herself busy. Today she had found herself in a rather restricted area: the armory. Knowing not to touch anything, she sat against the wall. She pulled crayons and a coloring book featuring the Disney princesses out of her book bag. The door opened to allow Clint Batron entry. He wore a gray hooded vest and blue jeans, his ears holding his visible hearing aids in place.

Taking a look around, he allowed his eyes to scan the room. He knew something was off, someone was in here that wasn't supposed to be. When he saw Rebecca, he grinned, "You're Coulson's daughter. Your names Rebecca right?"

Rebecca looked up and nodded with a grin, "Uh-huh! I remember you! You Clint Barton! You asked if I wanted to learn to shoot a bow!" she tried to stop her gaze from going to his hearing aids, her father having taught her it was rude to stare when people were different.

"You've never seen a man with hearing aids, huh?" Clint asked as he sat next to her. He removed one of his hearing aids and handed it to her, "It's a hearing aide, I have to wear it so I can hear others."

Rebecca inspected the hearing aid before handing it back to him, "But what about when I met you on the beach? You weren't wearing these!"

"I had my usual pair in," replied Clint as he put his hearing aide back in, "my usual pair are made by Tony Stark and created to be near invisible and water proof."

"Daddy taught me not to pick on any one that's different than you," replied Rebecca with a nod. "So even though you're different, you're cool."

Clint smiled and ruffled her hair, "Good advice. You're older now, think your dad would forbid you from messing with a bow and arrow? I mean, that's still something you'd like to learn, right?"

There was a bit of hesitation on her face, she twirled her hair between her fingers, "Well he did say I learn when I older…I is older…I learn!"

Clint stood and grabbed his compact bow from the shelf before grabbing a smaller bow from right next to it. He grabbed a dozen arrows for each of them, leading her into the S.H.I.E.L.D training facility. Two targets were set up on the far end of the gym, ready to be shot at. He pulled one of the targets closer so that she could shoot at it, "First things first, are you right handed or left handed?"

"Left," Rebecca replied with a grin, he hands on her hips.

"Alright, so grab the plastic part with your right hand. With your left grab the string and arrow," smiled Clint as he helped her to stand in the correct position. He watched her struggle with the bow and arrow for a few minutes but she eventually grabbed the string and arrow correctly. "Now, take your target in your sights. Take a deep breath as you pull back the string and fire as you let out the breath."

Rebecca nodded and followed the instructions, missing the target. She lowered the bow and pouted, crossing her arms over her chest, "I miss…"

"That's okay squirt, practice makes perfect," Clint replied with a noogie to her head.

"That's very good advice, I do it again," Rebecca nodded in agreement.

**A/N: I write and role play Clint as a mix between the Avengers Jeremy Renner version and as the comic book deaf version.**


	16. Some Assembly Required

Some Assembly Required  
Plot: Finally ready for a big girl bike, Tony builds it while Phil teaches her to handle it.

"Tony, I think the bike doesn't need a horn that plays a classical version of Back in Black by Ac/Dc when she honks it," Phil stated as he stood with Tony Stark in the hangar of the S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier. Free moments like this were few and far between since the S.H.I.E.L.D research team started discovering what the tesseract could do. When Phil did have free days and moments; however, he spent every moment devoted to Rebecca. Today was one of those free days and while Rebecca was at school, he decided to work with the most technologically advanced person he knew.

"First of all," Tony stated as he used a wrench to tighten a wheel to the piece of machinery in front of him, "it isn't Back in Black, it's Shoot to Thrill. Second of all, when you're not the one working on something, shut your pie hole."

Phil threw up his hands in exasperation, "Fine, fine. She'll be here any minute Tony so I'd finish up any technological things you need."

"Quick question, Agent, do we want it to fly or not?"

"Tony, it's a child's bike. Flying probably isn't something we need to add to it," Phil made sure that Tony knew the boundaries. He was just glad Tony hadn't been working to put missiles or machine guns on it.

The door to the hangar opened up, the voice of his little angel reverberating through the area, "Why I here Auntie Hill?" Phil looked over to see Maria leading her in by the hand; Rebecca's other hand covering her own eyes. He and Tony moved to cover the bike, the genius billionaire mumbling about other things that he could have done to it.

"Your daddy has a surprise for you," Maria answered as she led Rebecca over to Phil and Tony, "You can remove your hand now."

Rebecca moved her hand, squealing when she saw Tony. Since she and Phil had taken up residence in the helicarrier, she hadn't seen Tony or Pepper. "Uncle Tony! You're here!" As awkward as it was for Tony, she threw her arms around his leg. He didn't like most kids but little Coulson had grown on him and Pepper.

"Hey Becky," smiled Tony as he took a step back but not enough so that he was standing on her bike, "your dad and I have a cool surprise for you. We spent all day working on it."

That was a lie, of course. Tony had done all the work, even making sure that the bike had a cool paint job. "Yeah," Phil agreed as he gave Tony a look. The two moved out of the way, revealing a beautifully crafted bike. The paint color was the same as the hero suit Tony wore as his job, red with gold accents. A gold horn sat on the handle bars with a red basket sitting in front.

"This is the coolest bike ever!" Rebecca squealed as she jumped up and down. She ran over to the bike but stopped before she got on. "It don't got no training wheels."

"Well you're a big girl now Becky," Tony replied with a smile, "Your dad and I thought that you could handle a big girl bike."

"You teach?" she asked, looking at Tony. Though Phil understood why, she rarely got to see Tony, he was a bit hurt. This was his daughter. She should be looking up to him for such things.

"I would, Becky, but I have to go to a formal dinner," Tony lied. He knew this was Phil's time to shine bright. "Why not have your dad teach you? My dad taught me to ride a bike and your grand dad taught your dad!"

"Will you teach me daddy?" Rebecca asked, blinking up at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Of course pumpkin," smiled Phil, placing a hand on her shoulder, looking at Tony. There was an understood thanks between the two of them before Tony turned and left. Rebecca got on the bike, gripping the handles for dear life and her feet on the peddles. Phil walked her around the room, Rebecca peddling the bike and getting the jest of driving.

"Don't let go," Rebecca made Phil promise as she peddled.

"I won't," Phil replied rather sneakily as his grip started to loosen. He very subtly let go, Rebecca peddling on her own, managing to drive on her own. When she realized what she was doing, she let out a confident cry.

"I'm doing it!" she cheered as she rode around. To her it was a fun loving game but to Phil it felt as if she was growing up and there was nothing he could do about it.


	17. Girls Day Out

Girls Day Out

Plot: Helping to cheer up those who need it.

A/N: This is set after Clint's mind has been warped by Loki. The Avengers Initiative is in full swing and Rebecca is observing a lot and maturing a lot more than most seven year olds do.

Life had grown dark since the tesseract had been stolen. Phil slept a bit less than usual, spending more time working for Commander Fury. She was kept from school, her father worried about something. She didn't know what, she just worried about seeing her friends and what her father felt worried about. Today Phil was talking with Fury and she was left to be alone in the room that they shared.

She sat on the floor, brushing her doll Operetta's hair and listening to the music on her radio. There was a knock on the door and she stopped as the voice on the other side said, "Becca? It's me Auntie Hill. Can I open the door?"

"Yes Auntie Hill," she replied as she looked up from her doll. Maria entered the room and Becca put Operetta back on her shelf, smiling at the older woman. "Daddy work late?"

"Yeah, he's working more and more," nodded Maria with a sigh.

"I want him to come home Auntie Hill."

It broke her heart to see yet another girl so sad. Maria had been trying to handle Natasha since Clint had been taken over by Loki. "Well, Becca, what do you say to trying to cheer up Tasha?"

"She real sad since Mister Clint left," nodded Rebecca in agreement, standing up and going over to the dresser that held her clothes. She got into the top drawer, shuffling around for something. She turned back around, a bag of Hershey Kisses in her hand, "Chocolate make everything better."

Maria smiled and took her hand, looking down at her, "That's right, chocolate does make everything better." She led the seven year old to the gym where they saw Natasha practicing her hand to hand combat with a small punching bag. She stopped and rested her hand on the bag, partially to ease its movement and partially because her eyes were so close to betraying the rage and sadness she felt inside.

"Tasha," Maria said, approaching the crimson haired dynamo, "you have a visitor." She had never seen anything but a determined and cool look on Natasha's face so this expression was throwing her off.

Rebecca approached meekly, the hand in which she held the bag of chocolates outstretched, "Miss Romanoff, I brought you chocolates. Please tell me you like chocolates?"

The look of anger faded into one of pity and sadness for the young girl in front of her. Natasha knew it was possible she would lose Clint but this young girl could lose her father, theoretically, in this dangerous mission. She had never been as naïve as Rebecca but she knew what it meant to be alone, especially now. "Just for me?" Natasha asked, plastering a smile on her face, "Thank you, I love chocolate."

Rebecca beamed, nodding, "Everyone likes chocolate. You stop being sad and you come spend time with me and Auntie Hill? Girls gotta stick together!"

"I have an idea," Maria smiled at her, "we can go back to my cabin and we can have a girl's day. We paint each other's nails, do each other's make-up, and watch a girly movie."

Sucking up her sadness for the sake of the girl in front of her, Natasha nodded, "That sounds rather nice to me."

"You mean it? I wear nail polish and make-up like a big girl?" Rebecca asked, wide eyed. She had never been allowed to wear make-up or nail polish before.

"It's a special occasion, I don't think your daddy would mind," Natasha replied with a small smile, "special occasions are always okay."

Rebecca held onto Natasha and Maria's hands, swinging them as they walked down the hallway. The rest of the day, before Natasha was called to run off to her job by Nick Fury, was spent painting nails and watching A Walk to Remember. It wasn't much but for Rebecca, who was upset over her father working all the time, and for Natasha, who was coping with the loss of Clint, a girls day in was just what the doctor ordered.


	18. Math Can Be Fun

Math Can Be Fun

Plot: While doing math homework, Rebecca gets help from someone who can teach in a fun way.

One of the things Rebecca had noticed over the last few months was that a lot of interesting people were on the helicarrier. She had her friends; like Maria and Natasha, and of course there was her dad who tried to make time for her amongst being super-agent Phil Coulson. These days existed but were extremely rare. The second thing Rebecca had noticed was on these days that she got to see her dad, he taught her all the things he could. Like today.

Phil had been trying to teach her addition with no success, it just didn't interest her. Even now the duo sat together, Rebecca's hands resting on her chin as she looked at the work book in front of her. "So what do you get when you add seven to two?" Phil asked, his voice calm and slow.

"I no know daddy," Rebecca whined, "math boring! Can't we take a break and go play or watch a movie? You never here to see me…" The look on her face was one that Phil felt bad about. Maybe if he wasn't such a loyal lapdog for Fury, she wouldn't feel like that.

"You have to go to school and since…well…you just have to go to school here and I have to teach you," Phil replied with a sigh, not wanting to tell about the whole mess with Loki. "Maybe after we get done with addition we can go ride bikes in the hangar or play basketball in the gym."

"But I don't like math! It's dumb!" Rebecca protested as she lifted her head off of her hands, pouting at her father. She crossed her arms over her chest, frustrated. "Math is dumb!"

Phil was at his breaking point, he wasn't sure what to do. If he didn't make sure that she knew things, she wouldn't be prepared when this was all said and done. He was going to speak until the door opened and in walked a man he had only seen in pictures and the debriefing packet: Dr. Bruce Banner. "Bruce, sorry, we were just leaving," Phil confirmed as he stood and signaled for Rebecca to follow. The last thing he wanted to do was bring out the beast.

"Nonsense," the man smiled jovially. He extended a hand, "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. My names Bruce Banner." For being the all-powerful and ever menacing Hulk that Phil had heard all about, he was a very laid back and kind man.

"Agent Phil Coulson," Phil replied as he shook the man's hand. Putting the other on Rebecca's shoulder, he started to introduce her until the little spitfire introduced herself.

"My name is Jr. Agent Rebecca Coulson," she greeted proudly, "I'm seven and I'm learning math. I hate math, it's dumb." She looked up at him, wrinkling up her nose in thought. She had seen the man somewhere. She just couldn't place where. "I know you?"

"No, no we've never met, Jr. Agent," Bruce smiled at her. "Math is dumb, huh? What kind of math are you doing: cosign and tangent, graphing, what?"

Rebecca looked like a deer caught in the headlights, "Worse! Adding!" She held up her workbook for Bruce to look at, "Daddy so smart and he tries to teach me but math is dumb and won't let me learn it!"

"Maybe you're not looking at it in the right way. Sit down and I'll teach you," grinned Bruce as he gestured for Rebecca and Phil to sit. "Do you like candy?"

Rebecca nodded in earnest, "Me and daddy's favoritist place in the whole wide world to eat is Dave's Candy!"

Upon hearing that she liked candy, Bruce fished in his bag for a large plastic bag of chocolates. "Well think of addition in terms of chocolate. Let's say I have a bag of chocolates and I give you and your dad two. Zero plus two is?"

"Two!" Rebecca beamed as Bruce placed two chocolates in front of her and in front of Phil on the table.

"Exactly. So now you have two chocolates," replied Bruce. Reaching in the bag, he hand them both three more. "Now how many chocolates do you have?"

Rebecca counted the chocolates that were placed in front of her as well as the ones that she already had, "Five! Two plus three more is five!"

Phil silently thanked that Bruce was able to help Rebecca understand what was going on in the subject, "Got the hang of it Becca?"

"If I have five chocolates," she smiled and reached over to take Phil's, "and I get five more, then I have ten! Five plus five is ten!"

"That's right!" Phil grinned, patting her on the back and not upset that she had taken his chocolate in the least bit.

"How about we go play ball now?" Rebecca asked before she and Phil left the lab, a newfound interest in math accompanying her.


	19. Two Brothers

Two Brothers

Plot: They say children can sense extreme evil but also extreme good.

**A/N: The scene in which Rebecca observes the conversation is taken straight from the movie, with Rebecca's feelings and thoughts added of course.**

It was the first time a new face had ever scared her. Rebecca had gotten up that morning hoping to run into Dr. Banner in the lab or that hopefully her father would be there in the morning to greet her. Phil hadn't been there when she woke up but a Captain America t-shirt and blue jeans were sitting out for her to wear and a plate of pancakes was sitting out for her to eat. After she dressed and ate a bit, she opened the door to see her father standing there protectively. Though his suit was neatly pressed as usual, his face and demeanor were nervous. "Get back in the room Becca," Phil replied, his voice a little more than a whisper.

"But daddy I was gonna go play…" Rebecca pouted as she heard the footsteps of people echoing down the hallway. Phil had no time to usher her in so he turned, standing in front of her protectively. Rebecca peaked around her father's leg as ten armed S.H.I.E.L.D agents escorted a man down the hall. He was tall and striking, dressed all in green and gold armor. He turned his head, ever so slightly, to look at them with a smirk across his thin pressed lips. "Who…whose that?"

Phil waited until the man was gone before turning to look at Rebecca, "That was a bad man. You stay here, don't go play." He walked off in the direction of the bridge, opposite where everyone else was headed. Rebecca had to admit she wasn't much at following the rules, using her inherited stealth to hide by the doorway. There sat Steve Rogers and a few other people she knew: except one man. He wore silver armor and a red cape, looking like a knight out of her storybooks.

Bruce was the first to speak, sarcasm in his voice as he turned from a screen, "He really grows on you, doesn't he?"

Steve spoke up, "Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?" Loki must have been the bad man while this other man was Thor.

The blonde snapped to, "He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

She couldn't believe her ears: bad people wanted to take over the world. This meant that she and her father were in trouble. Rebecca bit her lip to keep herself silent as Steve spoke, serious in tone, "An army from outer space?"

Bruce nodded in confirmation, "So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for." Rebecca remembered a kindly older man working with S.H.I.E.L.D. who had gone missing around the same time as Clint Barton. That must have been Mr. Selvig.

The man they called Thor looked rather worried, "Selvig?"

Bruce nodded once, turning his attention to Thor, "He's an astrophysist."

"He's a friend," Thor added. The old man had always been nice to her when she saw him so taking that Thor was a friend of his, Thor must be a good man.

The voice of Rebecca's favorite female, Natasha Romanoff, sounded from the side of the room and Rebecca had to peek around the corner even more to see her, "Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours." Loki, the evil man, had taken Mr. Selvig and Mr. Barton. That's where they had disappeared to.

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here," Steve inquired as he sat back in his chair.

Bruce chuckled, "I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." Rebecca didn't know how a bag full of cats was crazy and she certainly hadn't smelt crazy on the evil man. She just had a bad feeling about this Loki person.

Thor seemed to get protective, "I don't care for how you speak. Loki is beyond reason but he is of Asgard and he's my brother."

Natasha sounded exasperated, "He killed eighty people in two days!"

Thor responded rather sheepishly, "He's adopted."

There was a silence around the room and Rebecca wasn't sure what was going to happen. The silence was broken by Natasha, "IF that's it then I have work to be done."

The table started to disband, the muscular man in medieval garb striding to where she was hiding. He looked down at her with a grin, "Well who are you little one?"

Rebecca looked at him shyly, "I'm Becca Coulson. Please don't tell my daddy I was watchin'! He said to stay in my room!"

"I shall not tell thy father but tell me, little one, who _is_ they father?" Thor asked, bending down to scoop her up in one of his muscular arms.

"My daddy is Agent Philip Coulson," Rebecca replied with a small smile, looking down at the ground. This was the highest up in the air she had ever been. "You're really tall!"

"You are the daughter of Phil, Son of Coul? He is a most excellent friend of mine!" Thor laughed heartily as he walked with her down the hallway. "How do you enjoy the idea of you and I finding the great hall for food Rebecca daughter of Philip?"

They say that children can sense absolute evil and total good. The way that Loki had made her feel, Rebecca assumed that it was absolute evil. After all, what if what Bruce and Steve and Natasha had said was true. That meant Loki sent her friend Mr. Barton away. But this man, Thor? She could sense a good heart and a sense of justice.

She liked that.


	20. The Nightmare

The Nightmare

Plot: A nightmare is had and a child needs comfort.

A/N: These are the final two chapters and I apologize in advanced for what I'm about to put you all through. For those of you who have read/reviewed, thank you!

A scream escaped the lips of Rebecca Coulson as she bolted upright in bed, greeted by the blackness of the room around her. The feeling of moist tears dotting her cheeks was evident and she used the back of her hands to wipe the remnants of the nightmare away. In the bed on the other side of the room, Phil had grabbed a small pistol from under his pillow to see what had spooked his daughter. Since Loki had gotten on the ship a day ago, Phil had felt nervous. Noticing there was no one in the room other than the two of them, he put the gun back in its place. "Come here Becca," Phil comforted, holding his arms out to his daughter.

Throwing back her comforter, Rebecca bounded the few steps over to her fathers bed. She crawled up, laying her head on her father's shoulder as she hugged him. Tears soaked the shoulder of his shirt, Rebecca sobbing and returning to calm down. "I had a nightmare daddy! A bad one!"

"A nightmare?" Phil asked comfortingly, "What sort of nightmare?"

"You was trying to help Mr. Thor out of this cage but Mr. Loki…the mean man stabbed you right here…" Rebecca replied as she put a hand on Phil's sternum in the center of his chest, "And…and you not gonna be around no more!"

Phil hugged her tight and pulled back, "Honey it was just a nightmare. I'm alright I've got all ten fingers," he wiggled his fingers at Rebecca, "and no hole in my chest. Mr. Loki is secure in that prison and won't be able to get out."

"He get out! Mr. Clint make engines go boom!" Rebecca tried to explain to her father.

Phil ran a hand through her hair and shook his head, "Listen to me, Rebecca, Loki isn't going to get out of here and even if Mr. Clint caused one engine to explode, we have three others. We'll be fine here." He didn't know why but he felt as if he should explain something to her, "If Loki were to escape and an explosion were to go off, I'd send you away with Auntie Hill."

"But daddy!" Rebecca protested, her eyes wide, "What if you get hurt!? I'm your partner and it's my job to stay by your side and fight!"

"Rebecca I'm you're father and it's my job to protect you," Phil argued with her, placing a hand on either of her shoulders, "Promise me that you won't go talk to Mr. Loki?"

"I promise," Rebecca nodded as she sniffled away the last remaining tears. She would never go purposefully looking for a man who she was so scared of, "Daddy since I scared can I sleep in your bed tonight?"

"Becca you're a big girl now," Phil admonished as he leaned back against the wall behind him, "Are you sure you can't sleep in your own big girl bed?"

Rebecca sniffled and pouted, nodding sadly, "Yes I could but…but I don't wanna. I promise after tonight I never ask again! Ever!"

Phil nodded and laid back on the bed, yawning, "Alright sweetie. Get some sleep." There he laid on the bed, his daughter curled up beside him smiling contently. He wanted to smile but the thought of the nightmare she had kept playing in his mind. The Avengers were showing little progress of getting along. It would take a common goal in their ranks. Something important.

But he believed in them and believed he could do it.


	21. The Nightmare Lived

The Nightmare Lived

Plot: The darkest day that has ever been.

**A/N: The feels mount in this final chapter. Again, to those of you who have kept with it, thank you. I hope you all check out To Be Like Him which focuses on a grown up Rebecca.**

The day had been normal until the rumble. Rebecca had woke up that morning with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. The nightmare before had addled her brain, making her hate waking up now. Phil had been waiting for her, eggs and bacon on the table. He was already dressed for the day of work, a neatly pressed suit with a blue tie on. Smiling at her, he sat next to her at the table. "Morning pumpkin! I thought we could get some breakfast before we go down to New York for the day." The fact that Loki was captured put him at ease.

"You sure?" Rebecca asked as she sat down next to her father. She picked up a piece of bacon from her plate, taking a small bite out of it before chewing thoughtfully. "Mister Fury don't want you to work today?"

"Not yet," Phil smiled as he took a drink of coffee from his favorite blue Captain America coffee mug. "Besides, when was the last time the two of us just went out to enjoy the day?"

"Before Mr. Selvig and Mr. Barton went missing," Rebecca replied before looking up worried. Phil didn't know that she knew what had happened, "I mean…um…"

"How did you find out?" Phil asked, sounding rather upset. Last night he hadn't known that she knew about all of this, just Mr. Barton going missing. "You know what, don't' answer that. How about we spend the day here?"

"We play ball?" Becca smiled, pushing her plate away. "You and me go play basketball in the training room before we go to New York? And…and when we go can we go to the zoo like old times?"

Phil smiled and stood, "Sure. The zoo sounds rather nice today. I'm gonna read the paper while you get dressed, alright?" He grabbed the paper from the bedside table before sitting down to read it. He heard the dresser open and close as he read about what had happened two days before in Germany. He felt like a kid again as he read about the exploits of Captain America.

"I'm done," Rebecca pronounced, causing Phil to look over at her. Her dress was navy blue checkered and her brown sandals fit her to a t. "We go now?"

"I have to go tell Fury," Phil confirmed as he took her hand. The duo made their way down the hall, working their way toward the bridge. They reached the doors and Phil was about to press the button to open the door until the rumble hit. It felt as if something had racked the helicarrier and he held Rebecca still as the lights flickered on and off, the siren going off around them. Deep down Phil knew what happened and as he heard the panic on the other side of the door, his belief was confirmed.

Someone or something had just blown a hole in the ship.

Phil's first instinct was to run into battle, gun raised and ready for action. But the sound of scared crying reminded him of his main priority: to get Rebecca safe. He crouched down to hug her, looking her straight in the eyes. "Rebecca no matter what you see here, who you see, keep running. Promise me?"

"Wh…what do you mean daddy?" Rebecca sniffled.

"Just promise me!" Phil urged. He kissed the top of her head, standing and taking a firm hold of her hand. He had to get her out of here, to get her safe. The hall filled with bustling S.H.I.E.L.D agents heading to fight the battle. He heard what sounded to be Clint's voice and his stomach almost dropped when Rebecca yanked away from him.

"Mr. Barton!" she smiled, running towards' Clint's imposing figure. She didn't realize something wasn't quite right. She didn't see that her friends eyes were bluer than usual or that a smile didn't come to his face when he saw her. All she saw was her friend.

Phil was able to grab her before she got to far, "Rebecca Emery Coulson that is not Clint Barton, not the Clint Barton you know! We have to keep-" Clint turned to look at them and Phil grabbed Rebecca, ducking down behind some boxes so that they couldn't be seen. His hand covered her mouth to keep her quiet the best that he could.

Hearing footsteps that sounded as if they were running headed in the other direction, Phil peeked over the top of the crates. Clint and the men who had been with him were gone, a few dead bodies in their wake. "Why couldn't I see Mr. Barton? He's my friend!"

"That wasn't the Mr. Barton you knew. Promise me Rebecca, you'll keep your eyes on me." This was his worst nightmare. He didn't ever want her exposed to this. The helicarrier was supposed to be a safe haven and now it was a hell on Earth. He waited until he could no longer hear footsteps before pulling Rebecca to her feet. "Eyes on me Becca. Just on me."

Rebecca saluted her father, eyes on him. She was afraid for her and her father's life. Everyone seemed so busy and so worried. They were a few doors away from the bay doors of the hangar before someone, or something, crashed through the wall ahead of them. There was an otherworldly scream that caused Rebecca to turn towards the beast. It was bigger than any creature she had ever seen before and was green. The face; however, reminded her of someone. It reminded her of Dr. Banner. "Daddy what is that?" Rebecca asked, pulling her father to a halt at perhaps the worst time in the world.

Phil looked into the area that the creature and it's enemy had come from to notice The Hulk facing down Thor. The god of thunder had the big green monster subdued but the last thing he needed was for Rebecca to be in the line of fire. "That's The Hulk, I'll tell you about him later. C'mon Becca, we're almost there."

As the green beast cried out again, Rebecca ran into the hangar with her father. There were a collection of small vessels on the far end and Phil made it to one with her, stopping a nearby agent and conversing with him in a hushed tone as she climbed onto the ship. Phil stopped her before she sat down, "We safe daddy!"

"You're safe. Rebecca I…I can't come with you yet," Phil spoke as he crouched down in front of her.

"Why…why can't you come You're my daddy, you have to!" Rebecca protested as tears formed in her eyes.

"No Becca, I can't. I'm an agent, my job is to protect the people," Phil replied as he tried not to cry. He wanted nothing more than to stay with Rebecca but he just couldn't.

"But…but my dream…what if Mr. Loki gets you?" Rebecca cried as she looked at her father.

"He won't get me," Phil tried to comfort her.

"Promise?"

"I promise," Phil smiled as he threw his arms around his daughter. They stayed like that for a few minutes, embraced in a warm hug, before Phil pulled away. "I promise you after this while mess with Mr. Loki is over, we'll go to the zoo and Dave' Candy. Just like old times."

He strapped Rebecca into a seat, pressing a kiss to her temple as Rebecca looked up with wet eyes, "I love you daddy. Remember our promise."

"I love you too Rebecca," Phil kissed her on the forehead before stepping off of the small plane. The S.H.I.E.L.D agent who he had talked to prepared for take off. Rebecca turned to stare out of the window, witnessing her father grab a large gun before he turned to look at the plane a final time. Rebecca smiled through her tears, realizing what her father was.

Agent Philip Coulson was a real American hero. Her American hero.

X X X

She waited at home that night by the telephone that was among the few things in the still furnished apartment that had her father's name on the lease. Though food was available, she couldn't eat. Her nerves were too jumbled. It wasn't until that night that the door opened. Rebecca jumped up, expecting her father.

To her shock, that's not who entered.

There, in her living room, stood Steve Rogers. Unlike the cards and photographs her father had shown her a thousand times, his face was not bearing a friendly smile. In fact, it looked as if her father's favorite hero had been crying, "Are you Rebecca?" he asked, voice quiet and calm.

"Yes, are you okay Mr. Rogers?" she asked as she cautiously walked over to the man. She wasn't sure if she should try and comfort him or not. She looked over as the door creaked open yet again, Tony Stark standing there. She looked at Steve who still hadn't answered before looking at Tony. "Uncle Tony why Mr. Rogers sad? Where's daddy?"

"Becky…squirt…you have to come live with me and Mr. Rogers now," Tony carefully said.

"No! Daddy be home any minute and we go to Dave's Candy!" Rebecca protested, looking at Tony with a pout. "Where. Is. Daddy?"

"Rebecca…your dad did a very brave thing today," Steve spoke up as he pulled the collectors cards from his pocket, "He'd want you to have these…" He had never had to do something as heartbreaking as this. The loss of Bucky played through his mind as if he had just lost his best friend yesterday. Losing a soldier was always difficult.

As she held the collectors cards in her hand, Rebecca knew. Her father kept them in the inner part of his suit and since they were stained with blood, that meant one thing. "He…he's not coming home, is he?"

"I'm sorry Becky…" Tony replied softly.

"But he…he promised!" Rebecca collapsed onto her knees in the floor, sobbing into her hands. There was nothing Tony or Steve could do but hug her in turn. "He promised!"

"He died a hero Rebecca," Steve started but was cut off by Tony.

"He died in another explosion," Tony lied. She was too young to know the truth and if she never asked, he'd keep telling her that. "He saved a lot of lives."

Rebecca sobbed, the only family she had ever known leaving her. She'd never forget her father. To her, Phil Coulson was the only true American hero.

**A/N: That ends the tale of child Rebecca. I apologize for the feels, I myself cried while writing it. The sequel, about adult Rebecca, should be started in a few days. If there's anything from her childhood or teen years you'd like to see, drop me a PM or review!**


End file.
